Hart Group Planning Next Mission Trip To Haiti

The Haiti and Africa Relief Team, or HART, is planning its next mission trip to Haiti in 2014.

Volunteers, along with local Haitian people, plan to rebuild the town’s church.

“We are building St. Jude et St. Simon, a church in Morne L’Hopital, Haiti. It is a Catholic church. It was destroyed during the 2010 earthquake,” said David M. Kowalski of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Temperance, and church construction project manager.

Since the earthquake, Mass has been held in a temporary shelter made of corrugated steel tied to trees and 2-by-4s.

Mr. Kowalski and Haitian Father Leriche Roosevelt said that despite the many physical needs of Haitian people, a church is needed to offer hope.

“I believe a church is so important because the people in Haiti are so poor. Many of them will starve to death or die from a disease. Many children will live in an orphanage, never knowing the love of the parents. This is not going to change anytime soon,” said Mr. Kowalski.

“(But) the church can provide hope through Jesus Christ. The church can provide love. The church can provide guidance,” he said. “This is not our final destination; we are all preparing to meet our maker. Many of them will walk with Christ long before we do. This is why it is so important to help provide a path for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.”

More than $100,000 is needed to rebuild the church. Mount Carmel and other area churches, St. Paul’s on the Lake, St. Isidore in Macomb, St. Philomena and Regina Coeli in Toledo are assisting.

ORT Tool and Die in Erie, M&F Machine and Tool in Temperance and other companies also have donated.

“We have had wonderful support from the Bedford community, Mount Carmel parish and businesses like ORT Tool and Die and M&F Machine and Tool. This is truly a wonderful and caring community,” said Mr. Kowalski.

Area people can help by buying bricks. “Anyone (who) may want to help can purchase a brick for $10. We will rebuild this church one brick at a time,” he said.

All of the proceeds will go to the church building fund. So far, $11,000 has been raised.

A second mission trip to Africa may take place in 2015. “We have just recently put our Africa mission trip for 2014 to Kenya on hold. This trip will most likely take place in 2015. HART tries to do a mission to Haiti every year and a mission to Africa every other year at this time. Of course everything depends on funding and donations,” said Mr. Kowalski.

To donate and to see a video of the latest mission trip, visit www.h-a-r-t.org.